My Slim-Down, Get-Glowing Detox

Forget juice cleanses. This eat-as-much-as-you-want diet promises weight loss and clear skin. But did it work?

So ... Why Am I Going on a Gut Diet? Wondering what a girl with zero intestinal symptoms and troublesome acne doing on a diet plan for people with digestive problems? Though "Gutbliss" is touted as a diet plan for those who are experiencing gastrointestinal problems like bloating, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, those aren't its only benefits. Chutkan says there's a strong connection between our skin and our gut. What's going on in our intestines, she says, gets reflected in our complexion -- and vice versa.

"Everything you eat shows up on your skin," says Chutkan. "In addition to causing bloating, food allergies and food intolerances can lead to dark circles under your eyes, blemishes, rashes, and a puffy, swollen appearance. Likewise, your intestines can be thought of as the innermost layer of your skin, since much of what you put on your skin eventually gets absorbed."

Say what?

According to Chutkan, many beauty product chemicals (like sodium lauryl sulfate) strip the skin and make it easy for bacteria, viruses and other chemicals to make their way inside our body. Eventually, those chemicals get absorbed into the bloodstream and end up in your intestines.

So, with visions of clear skin (and a svelte body) dancing in my head, I'm willing to undergo 10 days of eating like a rabbit during the toughest time of the year to diet: the holidays.